


By the Book

by BlackIris



Series: Fucking February 2018 [16]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Norse Religion & Lore, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Books, F/M, Fluff, Fucking February 2018, Library, Magic, Magical Realism, Mischief, Reader-Insert, Roughness, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 15:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13707027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackIris/pseuds/BlackIris
Summary: Fucking February 2018Day 16: Roughness





	By the Book

**Author's Note:**

> I needed something more…bookish? and less sad, after yesterday’s drabble-thingy.. so.. ta da!?  
> So, I have libraries on the brain.. fight me? *blows kiss*   
> Un-beta'd, enjoy!

You had been begging, pleading, promising countless things that you knew you couldn’t deliver on. Nothing had worked. You were starting to grow desperate, so you turned to someone who might know something that would work: Thor. 

\-----

And luckily for you, you find him where you thought you’d find him, in the kitchen, eating. Again. 

“Hey, Thor!” You beamed your best smile at him, “how ya doing, muscles?” 

His smile falters when he sees yours, his eyes narrow slightly. “Hello to you too, (Y/N). I am well. I think the real question, is, what do you want?” 

You open your mouth to protest, but think better of it. Instead, opting for a shrug and to simply give in, and show your cards. 

“Alright, fair enough. I was kinda hoping for your help.” 

“My help? What bothers you?” 

“Nothing really, I just was wondering.. what are Loki’s weaknesses? Like does he even have any? I mean I –”

Thor’s face goes stern; rage and confusion building with each word you say. 

“No! Thor, not like that!” 

“I thought you of all people, would never..” 

“Thor. Nooo.” You stifle a giggle. “I’m trying to get him to take me to that one huge library that he wouldn’t stop going on about that one time. And since he’s the only one that seems to know how to get there.. Anyways, he refuses and I’ve tried bribing him even. I was hoping you could give me an edge, an insider’s knowledge of how his mind works.” 

“You think I know the inner workings of his mind?” 

“You would, right? I mean, you should. I think.”

“I may have known him the longest, but I do not. Somethings he still keeps hidden away, even from me.” 

A small smirk plays at his lips, causing you to roll your eyes. Sometimes he was just as bad a Loki. “So, you’re not going to help me?”

“No.”

“Fine.” You move to leave. “Why can’t I be trying to bribe you? You’re easy.” 

Thor scoffs a reply. 

Turning to face him, you arch a brow, unamused. “Easy.” You tick off on your fingers as you go. “Brunnhilde. Booze – the good stuff. Those little chocolate cakes I make from scratch.” 

His mouth hangs open as he glares at you. 

“Boom, mother fucker.” 

You shoot him a wink before leaving. 

Unknown to you, shortly after you leave, there’s a shimmering flash of green in the kitchen. Followed by a heavy, but slightly amused sigh, and a mumbled, ‘shes’s never going to give up, is she?’

\-----

Several days later, Loki walks past you, dropping a small envelope into your open book. The interruption of your reading is of course odd, but you eye him warily but excitedly before ripping open the paper. Within is a simple card, with a date, time, and place.

“Loki, what does this mean?” 

“After all this time pestering me, I thought you’d finally be content. Is it not obvious?” 

“Are we? Really? I get to see the library!?” You squeaked in your excitement, realizing he’s finally caved to your wishes.

“Yes, yes. Get it out of your system now. You do realize when we’re there you will need to contain your giddy nature?” 

“Yes, I know! Thank you!” 

You nearly drop your book in your haste to get up. Your excitement only grows as you throw your arms around Loki in a tight hug. His stunned silence goes unnoticed by you, your bouncing and random noises of excitement moving the both of you. Looking to his face you see faintly masked amusement, tinged with curiosity.

Mumbling an apology, you untangle yourself from him, not wanting to make eye contact again you scurry away, your face stuck with a giant smile. 

\-----

What had caused the change in Loki for him to agree was beyond you, you were just happy he finally relented. You honestly almost didn’t even want to ask, afraid he’d change his mind if you asked just one more question in your excitement. 

You make your way to the place indicated on the card, bouncing on your toes slightly as you wait for him. It’s a beautiful place, one you hope to return to again. Surrounded by large trees you almost lose yourself in the calmness of the forest as you wait. 

Looking to your watch you realize it’s fifteen minutes past when the card said to meet. You start to worry that this all might just be a trick at your expense. 

There’s a slight shift in air pressure before his voice startles you out of your trance. “Are you ready?” 

Suppressing a shudder, you nod, thankful that he’s here. “How do we get there?” 

“That’s half the fun. Though, I must warn you, I’m not sure you’ll enjoy it.” 

His smile goes wicked with mischief, but his words are laced with concern; a duality that you love even though it frightens you somewhat. 

“If you do it, it can’t be that bad.” You joke, bracing yourself for what is certain to be another round of Loki’s unconventional travel methods.

“You say that now.” He chuckles, extending a hand to you.

Taking a deep breath, you place your hand on his. He smiles, squeezing your fingers lightly, walking with you a few steps.

“Alright, the first part is easy.” 

Before he’s even done speaking, you feel a slight tingle all around you, the air changes from the scent of moss and earth to that of salt and crisp air. Blinking, you realize you both are now standing near a cliff, over looking a thrashing, whirling sea. The air chills you, the sight before you reminds you of how small you are compared to the rest of the world. 

That wasn’t too bad, you think to yourself, maybe Loki’s going easy on you. As if hearing your thoughts, Loki chuckles again. 

“Before we go farther, if you’ll allow me, we must change one thing.” He says eyeing your attire, slightly. 

You had noticed when he appeared out of thin air that he was dressed in what appeared to be his casual Asgardian dress. Nodding, you knew he was right, wherever you were going, you’d probably wouldn’t blend in with your t-shirt and jeans. 

Loki smiles as you’re enveloped in a glow of green, your clothes are replaced with a flowing grey frock, tinged with green element. Not surprisingly, the new garb suits your natural colors and sits perfectly. 

You mumble your thanks, taking in the new clothes, enjoying its elegance, simplicity, and softness. Loki nods, his approval. 

“This next part.. You’re going to have to trust me. Can you do that?” 

Of course, you could, but something about the violent sea put an uneasy feeling in your gut. Think of the library, of the books, of the smell of all that knowledge gathered for centuries. 

“You know I do.” 

“Good.” He walks near to the cliff’s edge, tugging you along behind him. You notice a slightly worn path in the grass leading up the edge, perhaps he’s not the only one to do this, maybe it’s common here, wherever here is. 

“Loki.. Is this some kind of test, like that little invisible bridge in Indiana Jones?”

Loki gives you a confused look before shaking his head. “No, nothing like that, this is more.. rudimentary.” 

He positions you slightly more to the left, then farther back. Checking back and forth with where the pair of you are standing and the churning sea below. 

“Ready?”

“Loki?”

“If it was easy..”

“I know, I know.. everyone would do it. I can’t believe I’m doing this for books.” 

Loki chuckles, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close. You arch a brow at him, every passing second is getting weirder and weird with him since you’ve left the forest. 

“Put your arms around me. Hold tight.” 

You barely finish pulling your arms around his waist when you feel him start to shift his weight towards the waters below. “Loki, no!”

“Oh, yes!”

As you fall, you dig your fingers into his sides, screaming his name, as he laughs maniacally. 

Seconds seem to slow their steady march forward as you fall. This must be the end, you’re going to die, wrapped around a crazy god with an apparent death wish, smashed to bits on the rocks below. But then you realize that it’s more than just time slowing down. Loki’s hair floats softly framing his face, the ties of your new clothes seem to float as well. Looking to Loki with a questioning brow, he beams a genuine smile back to you. Okay, so maybe this wasn’t death, but if it was, it certainly is one hell of a way to go. 

Suddenly you hear birds chirping and the toles of bells in the distance. Realizing you’ve closed your eyes at some point, prying them open to find you’re in a small alley, in a city made of soft gray stone. 

Loki’s chuckle rumbles through you, as you’re still pressed closely to his chest. “You can let go now, pet, it’s quite alright.” 

You clear your throat and loosen your grip, shaking your arms free. 

“Not much farther now.”

“No more.. ‘traveling’?” 

“No, no. We’re here.” 

You follow him down a few twisting streets, before coming to a stop at a small gate. Loki produces a small parcel, handing it to the plainly dressed guard. The guard’s face breaks into a giddy smile as he opens the parcel and starts eating the contents. 

“Chocolate biscuits. I’ve been bringing him sweets for years.” Loki tells you as the doors slowly open revealing a huge interior that seems to go on forever. The smell of books and candle wax hit your nose and calm your soul. It’s intoxicating and feels like going home. 

In your awe, Loki takes your hand again, slowly walking you through the twists and turns of the shelving. Up and down several large staircases and through more shelves. You were utterly lost, but completely fine if you could never find your way out. 

Loki slows his pace even more, releasing your hand, and telling you not to wander while he searches for something. 

“Ah, here we are.” He pulls an oversized, tome off a shelf. The cover has carvings in a language you can’t read, but the marks are so delicate and intricate it take everything in your being not to swoon over the design. You brush your fingers over it, and suddenly, you are able to read it. You pull your fingers along the cover as if reading brail. 

“Gentle.” He chides, “you can’t be rough with it. It’s old.” 

“Older than you?” You smirk, barely keeping your voice at a whisper. 

“Older than I, yes. But this is why I hesitated bringing you here for so long.”

“Really?” 

He hums, opening the coarse leather-bound book, carefully turning to the section he was looking for. 

“The library is immense, it takes only the most cunning or the most fortunate to find the true gems hidden throughout it’s shelves.” 

Your smile falters slightly as you take in his concentration and words. 

“Here.” He takes your hand in his, slowly drawing your fingers over a passage. Words and phrases fill your thoughts, leaving your mind racing. 

“There.” He smiles triumphantly.

“What?”

“Now you can read anything and everything here, and well, anywhere should I think. Just run your fingers along the text.” 

“Really?” Your heart feels like its about to burst. The endless texts in front of you are all yours for the taking, and all because of Loki. 

“Really.” 

You look around, rooted where you stand, unknowing were to start with your new ability. Loki presses a soft kiss to your cheek, stirring you from your stupor. 

“Go have fun, feel free to roam wherever you like. I’ll find you in a few hours.”


End file.
